The Buddha teaches that when the five aggregates are grasped and insisted on, the wrong view arises that ‘The self is neither happy nor suffering, and healthy after death’, and that seeing their impermanence and suffering leads a noble disciple to become a stream-enterer.

SN 24.70 The Self is Neither Happy Nor Suffering

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

“Kismiṁ nu kho, bhikkhave, sati, kiṁ upādāya, kiṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati: ‘adukkhamasukhī attā hoti arogo paraṁ maraṇā’”ti?

“Bhagavaṁmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā …pe….

“Rūpe kho, bhikkhave, sati, rūpaṁ upādāya, rūpaṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati: ‘adukkhamasukhī attā hoti arogo paraṁ maraṇā’”ti. “Vedanāya sati …pe… saññāya satisaṅkhāresu sativiññāṇe sati, viññāṇaṁ upādāya, viññāṇaṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati: ‘adukkhamasukhī attā hoti arogo paraṁ maraṇā’ti.

Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, rūpaṁ niccaṁ aniccaṁ vā”ti?

“Aniccaṁ, bhante” …pe… vipariṇāmadhammaṁ,

api nu taṁ anupādāya evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjeyya: ‘adukkhamasukhī attā hoti arogo paraṁ maraṇā’”ti? “No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Iti kho, bhikkhave, yadaniccaṁ taṁ dukkhaṁ. Tasmiṁ sati, tadupādāya evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati: ‘adukkhamasukhī attā hoti arogo paraṁ maraṇā’”ti. “Vedanā …pe… saññāsaṅkhārāviññāṇaṁ niccaṁ aniccaṁ vā”ti?

“Aniccaṁ, bhante” …pe… vipariṇāmadhammaṁ,

api nu taṁ anupādāya evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjeyya: ‘adukkhamasukhī attā hoti arogo paraṁ maraṇā’”ti?

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Iti kho, bhikkhave, yadaniccaṁ taṁ dukkhaṁ. Tasmiṁ sati, tadupādāya evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati: ‘adukkhamasukhī attā hoti arogo paraṁ maraṇā’”ti. Chabbīsatimaṁ.

Tatiyapeyyālo.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthī.

“Kismiṁ nu kho, bhikkhave, sati, kiṁ upādāya, kiṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati:

“Mendicants, when what exists, because of grasping what and insisting on what, does the view arise:

‘adukkhamasukhī attā hoti arogo paraṁ maraṇā’”ti?

‘The self is neither happy nor suffering, and healthy after death’?”

“Bhagavaṁmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā …pe….

“Our teachings are rooted in the Buddha. …”

“Rūpe kho, bhikkhave, sati, rūpaṁ upādāya, rūpaṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati:

“When form exists, because of grasping form and insisting on form, the view arises:

‘adukkhamasukhī attā hoti arogo paraṁ maraṇā’”ti.

‘The self is neither happy nor suffering, and is healthy after death.’

“Vedanāya sati …pe…

When feeling …

saññāya sati

perception …

saṅkhāresu sati

choices …

viññāṇe sati, viññāṇaṁ upādāya, viññāṇaṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati:

consciousness exists, because of grasping consciousness and insisting on consciousness, the view arises:

‘adukkhamasukhī attā hoti arogo paraṁ maraṇā’ti.

‘The self is neither happy nor suffering, and healthy after death.’

Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave,

What do you think, mendicants?

rūpaṁ niccaṁ aniccaṁ vā”ti?

Is form permanent or impermanent?”

“Aniccaṁ, bhante” …pe… vipariṇāmadhammaṁ,

“Impermanent, sir.” …

api nu taṁ anupādāya evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjeyya:

‘adukkhamasukhī attā hoti arogo paraṁ maraṇā’”ti?

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Iti kho, bhikkhave, yadaniccaṁ taṁ dukkhaṁ.

“And so, what’s impermanent is suffering.

Tasmiṁ sati, tadupādāya evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati:

When this exists, grasping at this, the view arises:

‘adukkhamasukhī attā hoti arogo paraṁ maraṇā’”ti.

‘The self is neither happy nor suffering, and is healthy after death.’

“Vedanā …pe…

Is feeling …

saññā

perception …

saṅkhārā

choices …

viññāṇaṁ niccaṁ aniccaṁ vā”ti?

consciousness permanent or impermanent?”

“Aniccaṁ, bhante” …pe… vipariṇāmadhammaṁ,

“Impermanent, sir.” …

api nu taṁ anupādāya evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjeyya:

“But by not grasping what’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, would such a view arise?”

‘adukkhamasukhī attā hoti arogo paraṁ maraṇā’”ti?

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“No, sir.”

“Iti kho, bhikkhave, yadaniccaṁ taṁ dukkhaṁ.

“And so, what’s impermanent is suffering.

Tasmiṁ sati, tadupādāya evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati:

When this exists, grasping at this, the view arises:

‘adukkhamasukhī attā hoti arogo paraṁ maraṇā’”ti.

‘The self is neither happy nor suffering, and healthy after death.’”

Chabbīsatimaṁ.

Tatiyapeyyālo.

Qualities:

Attachment

Attachment

A mental fastening onto people, things, views, or states as “me” or “mine,” unwilling to release them. This clinging can give a sense of security and sweetness.

Also known as: acquisition, bond, clinging, grasping, holding on, possession, entanglement, bound, connected, taking as mine
Pāli: upadhi, upādāna, sakiñcana, mamatta
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Free from attachment

Free from attachment

Release from grasping, not taking anything as “me” or “mine,” ceasing to appropriate or identify with people, things, views, or experiences.

Also known as: free from grasping, not appropriating, not taking as mine, without acquisitions, not clinging, not grasping, not holding onto
Pāli: nirūpadhi, nānupādāya, asita, anuggaha
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Suffering

Suffering

Unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering that is inherent in conditioned existence.

Also known as: discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentedness, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, distress, affliction
Pāli: dukkha
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Wholesome

Wholesome

Conducive to or suggestive of good health and mental well-being.

Also known as: blameless, skillful, beneficial, good, useful, healthy, nourishing, sustaining
Pāli: kusala
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Wrong view

Wrong view

A distorted understanding that sees permanence in the impermanent, satisfaction in the unsatisfactory, or self in the not-self. Wrong view guides action by delusion, obscuring cause and effect, and closes the door to wisdom and release.

Also known as: distorted or inverted perception, untrue view, false belief
Pāli: micchādiṭṭhi
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Last updated on July 27, 2026